


Merlin's Revenge

by RagingHomo



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Canon Era, Friendship, Gen, It's all in good fun, Merlin can dish it out just as good as he can take it, Merlin is a Little Shit, Pranks and Practical Jokes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24264172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RagingHomo/pseuds/RagingHomo
Summary: “Arthur didn’t really put you in charge, did he?”“Oh, no. He’d have to be an absolute madman to do that,” came Merlin’s easy reply.  Lancelot just laughed fondly as the secret sorcerer shouted through cupped hands, “You’re going to have to pick up the pace if you want lunch, Percival!”The Knights are always messing with Merlin, so when he sees a chance to exact his revenge, he simply can't refuse.
Relationships: Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Knights of the Round Table & Merlin (Merlin), Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 450





	Merlin's Revenge

In Merlin’s defense, he hadn’t been  _ planning  _ on torturing the knights of Camelot that day, but some opportunities were just too good to pass up. 

When Merlin had gone to wake up the King for his early morning training session with the knights, he was surprised to see Arthur already up and dressed. He didn’t even know the idiot was capable of dressing himself. 

“Ah, Merlin!” He greeted, more cheerfully than the servant was comfortable with. “How do I look?” He spun around, revealing that he had missed a few belt loops in the back and had his shirt tucked up. 

“Very Kingly, sire.” Merlin wasn’t going to correct him. Arthur rolled his eyes at the blatant sarcasm but continued. 

“Well, good, because today is a very special day. It is the anniversary of Guinevere and I’s first kiss. Are you impressed that I remembered?” 

And no, he really wasn’t, seeing how he had reminded him everyday for the past week and Gwen had been dropping hints at him left and right. Merlin nodded anyways. 

“To celebrate, we’re going on a picnic in the woods, just the two of us. Which reminds me, go pack a picnic basket.” 

“Sure, but don’t you have to train the knights today?” 

Arthur looked confused for a moment. Clearly, he had forgotten about the training. “Oh right, they can just have the day off, then. They are the hardest working people in Camelot, after all. You could really stand to learn something from them, you know,” he teased. Merlin would have found it hysterical if he didn’t single handedly save Arthur’s dumb ass on a weekly basis. “You can go to the training grounds and tell them they’re dismissed. After that, I need you to clean these chambers, mend my tunics, exercise my dogs, polish my armor, and muck out the stables. Got all that?” 

Merlin sighed. It was just all so terribly unfair. “Got it.” 

* * *

When Merlin arrived on the training field, he still had every intention of telling his friends to enjoy their day off and getting started on his tedious chores. But then he saw them, lazily putting on their armor and laughing about something or the other.  _ Hardest workers in Camelot, my ass.  _ And that’s when the brilliant, if not slightly evil idea popped into his head.

“Gentleman,” Merlin announced as he walked up to the group. All eyes turned to him. “Arthur is not available to train you today.” 

“Alright!” Gwaine spoke up. “Free day!” 

“Actually, he has entrusted your session to someone else. To me, in fact.” 

  
  


* * *

“Alright, men,” Merlin called from the front of the field, pausing and deciding just how painful their regiment should be. He examined each of their faces and was suddenly hit by all the memories of the men playing keep away with soup that  _ he  _ prepared for them. All the times he had been used as a dummy or a punching bag or a sparring partner.

_ It’s all in good fun, Merlin _ they would say.  _ Well so was this. _

“We will start with 20 laps ‘round the field.”

“What?”

“In full mail?”

“Even Arthur doesn’t make us run that much!” Came the knights outraged responses. 

“Well, you have to be kept on your toes, don’t you? Camelot’s most elite can’t fall into a rut,” Merlin explained, then added for good measure, “This must be why Arthur has sent me to train you sorry lot.” 

“You can’t even hold a sword!” Elyan sounded absolutely indignant. 

“That’s another five laps for you,  _ Elyan, _ for insubordination.”

They all seemed to go quiet at that and Merlin had to hold back a grin. 

_ This was shaping up to be a good day indeed.  _

“Get a move on, then,” he commanded the knights, who all glared at him in return. All except Sir Lancelot, of course, who just gave Merlin that knowing little smile. It was then that Merlin thought about Lance. Sweet, gentle, secret keeping Lance who would stop the guys from getting too out of hand. He decided to show the man some mercy. 

“Everyone except Lancelot, who will be serving as first knight today to help me get you into shape.”

“But  _ I’m  _ first knight!” Leon protested. 

“Well not today, you’re not. You need to learn to adapt.” 

The warriors were about ten laps in, sweating and panting, when Lance leaned over to Merlin from their cozy position under a shaded tree and asked, “Arthur didn’t really put you in charge, did he?” 

“Oh, no. He’d have to be an absolute madman to do that,” came Merlin’s easy reply. The knight just laughed fondly as the secret sorcerer shouted through cupped hands, “You’re going to have to pick up the pace if you want lunch, Percival!” 

* * *

Merlin’s… unorthodox training continued. The men had finished their laps, did jumping jacks and lunges, sparred using  _ each other  _ as dummies instead of the poor manservant. Lancelot, of course, didn’t help his brothers in arms, instead he just watched on, muttering the occasional, ‘wouldn’t it be funny if Gwaine tripped right now?’ or thinking of an especially difficult routine to torture them with. 

By lunch, the knights had all collapsed in an exhausted heap at Merlin’s feet. 

“This really isn’t fair,” Gwaine commented. “Why does Lance get out of it just because he’s your favorite?” 

“I don’t play favorites, Gwaine,” Merlin lied with a little smile. Lancelot was actually his favorite, a combination of the fact that he was the only one who knew his secret and the sheer amount of time they had been friends. But he loved all his friends. Loved them so much, in fact, that he was going to stop this little charade and let them rest before dinner. Then they could all have a good laugh about it, if they didn’t kill Merlin first, that is. 

“You guys, I have to tell you someth-” 

“Merlin!” Arthur called from the distance, Gwen at his side. “What are you doing here? Did you finish the list I gave you?” The knights looked at him collectively. It seemed that Leon and Elyan were beginning to piece it together. Gwaine and Percival on the other hand just stared in confused silence. 

Arthur just had to open up his big mouth again because he continued, “What are you lot doing here? Didn’t Merlin tell you to take the day?” 

Gwaine made a noise that was somewhere between a laugh and a cry while the rest of the knights gazes turned murderous. 

“Merlin,” Elyan growled. 

“Once I can feel my legs I’m going to kill you!” Leon warned

“I’ll hold him down for you,” Percival piped up. 

“You know what, I think I have some chores to do…” Merlin rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, attempting to creep away from the warriors. 

“Oh no you don’t.” They were already getting up, fueled by their need for revenge. 

“Uh oh,” Merlin made a choked little noise. In hindsight, playing a prank on the finest fighters Camelot had to offer probably wasn’t the best idea. 

“Uh oh indeed,” Lance confirmed as he grabbed Merlin by the hand and started to run towards the castle, four very angry warriors on their heels. 

“MER-LIN!” Arthur screamed in that way where Merlin just knew he would be spending tomorrow in the stocks.

  
_ Worth it. _ Merlin thought as a wide grin spread across his face. 


End file.
